A day of Sangam — GST, sharadotsav and autumnal equinox

Monday morning, September 22, 2025, will be marked by a trifecta of good fortune for Indians — the beginning of ‘good’ and ‘simple’ tax (GST), first day of Sharadotsav and autumnal equinox, the sangam of which is likely to generate enough positive vibes and expectations in times of predictable unpredictability unleashed by the American Czar. Not long ago the world was in the grip of Covid-19 pandemic and now it is battling the Trumpedemic.

The epidemic has reached such a level that it has issued ‘BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN!!!’ threat to a sovereign state, Afghanistan. People like DJT easily forget the lessons of history and those who just cannot learn are ill-fated to repeat it. Maybe, the Czar has realised that the Nobel Prize isn’t on his way. In fact, the MAGA VVIP must have lost count of the umpteen number of threats he has issued till now. While vaccines had a significant role in combating SARS-CoV-2, only repercussions and counteraction can effectively inoculate against Trumpedemic. GST has the potential to lead that counteraction with divine blessings and Sharadotsav commemorates Ma Durga’s victory over Mahishasura, the buffalo demon. The two events coinciding with autumnal equinox, an astronomical phenomenon, are signals that on a day of cosmic balance, attempts to create worldly imbalances will meet the fate of Mahishasura — who aimed to become the most powerful being in the Universe through conquests, deceit and shapeshifting, and believed that he was destined to be the greatest.

Considering the buffalo demon’s deep desire and what he ultimately achieved, one is naturally reminded of a popular Hindi saying ‘bhains ke aage been bajana’ (literally translated to ‘playing a flute in front of a buffalo’), the English equivalent of which is ‘casting pearls before swine’.